Cutter waited anxiously outside of the store, hoping everything would live up to his expectations. He wore a dark green suit with a white dress shirt and brown shoes. He had accompanied the King earlier in the day to complete a business transaction with a "commoner", which meant he had to dress down.

A young woman with blue hair came out, calling Cutter to come inside.

An older man with black hair and a long beard smiled from behind the counter as he placed a small red box on the glass case. He opened it slowly, watching Cutter's reaction.

Cutter stared at it in awe. He had asked them what the most expensive ring they had was, and it definitely lived up to its price tag.

It was a platinum 3 carat cushion cut engagement ring. There had to be almost a hundred small diamonds surrounding the large diamond in the centre. Cutter laughed, realizing it would cover most of Kate's finger. "I'll take it."

The deeper into the relationship Cutter got; the more insecure he seemed to become. He wanted Kate all to himself and to him; there was no bigger commitment to another person than marriage. He had brought it up casually as a general topic and Kate seemed to welcome the idea of it. Whether he proposed now or further down the road made no difference, but he wanted to be prepared should the right moment arise.

The woman who had greeted him gawked at the ring. "Wow! She sure is a lucky girl, General Cutter! How exciting!" Although she had worked at the shop for several years, they had never brought this specific ring out. "When are you going to ask her?" She kept her eyes on the ring, entranced by its brilliance.

Cutter smiled, an unusual nervousness coming over him. "Soon." He looked at the two workers, his eyes enough to tell them to keep any news of him getting engaged to themselves. One of the only known facts about Cutter was that he was an extremely private man, and liked to keep it that way.

The General jumped into fighting stance as a knight came rushing through the door.

"General Cutter! There is a call for you at the castle. It's urgent."

Cutter paid for the ring and placed the box in his pocket, running as fast as he could towards the castle.

What could it be...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Taking cover in the darkness granted by the night sky; Lucci and Kaku carefully made their way through the alleys,

Hattori cooed as Lucci pet him. "Kaku, once we capture Spandam- do you still plan to return to Water 7?" Lucci was loyal to his work, and the missions he was assigned, never straying. However, he could never understand the appeal of being in a romantic relationship with someone.

Kaku nodded. "Even if they crucify me; I need to see her." He had thought about it for hours before they left. He needed to see Kate again...even if it was just to say goodbye. If he were to survive this mission; he couldn't imagine holding himself back. At least saying goodbye would give him closure, and hopefully ease the pain of having to let go of Kate.

Even so; the long nosed man couldn't help but hope that somehow; they could still be together. His heart raced as he imagined reuniting with Kate. The pain of missing her having grown worse by the day.

Lucci smirked. "That's a lot of trouble for a woman, but the choice is yours. Let us finish our mission quickly."

They nodded before taking off to their positions. Lucci had meticulously planned how their mission would go. Given they had the element of surprise; the assassination would be easy to execute. Kalifa and the others were dispersed around the island. In the unlikely event that they would fail; they would all separate and meet at a rendezvous point in 3 months to plan the assassination once again.

The streets were patrolled with both Marines and World Government Employees; wanted posters of pirates plastered on every wall along with pictures of the CP9 members.

Lucci looked at an 8 level apartment building not too far from where they were. "Based on the signal we traced from my phone call with him- he should be in a private ICU unit on the top floor of that building." His blood lust grew as the thought of killing Spandam filled his mind, clouding his train of thought.

Kaku peered around the corner to check for guards. "I'll wait here. Once you give me the signal- I'll come meet you upstairs."

Lucci silently scaled the side of the building, heading for a window that was open.

A few minutes had passed, but still no signal came..

Kaku shivered as the wind blew past him.

It's so darn cold on this island! Why would they have the window-

His blood ran cold.

It must have been a trap!

He shook his head, angry for not assuming that the open window had been too convenient. Lucci still wasn't fully recovered, and his primal instincts overtook his logic whenever his blood lust was at its peak.

Kaku growled, knowing he had to make a decision quickly. He backed up several steps, locking his eyes onto a window on the third floor. His plan was to break through it, then fight his way up to where Lucci was.

Well, here we go!

He sprinted before jumping into the air.

*CRASH*

He felt all his strength leave his body as he crashed down 3 floors onto the ground, unable to break his fall.

My...body...

He looked around wearily. It seemed the building had been hollowed out; its walls, windows and floors laced with-

"Sea prism stone..."

Kaku gasped as he saw Lucci laying in a pile of blood, his body mangled from the 8 floor drop. Hattori flew over Lucci in a panic, unable to help his fallen comrade.

They struggled to turn their heads towards the sound of footsteps.

Spandine laughed, clapping his hands. "Magnificent! It seems our little trap worked after all!" He continued to chuckle as he kicked Lucci in the ribs. "I know you were expecting to see my son, but don't worry- you'll see him...at your execution!" He snapped his finger and 20 men in suits came running in, cuffing the ex CP9 Members with sea prism stone handcuffs before dragging them out.

Kaku tried to move, but his body refused.

I can't die here...not like this.

He reached for his ring against his chest.

"Kate!"

One of the suited men punched him in the face with sea prism stone coated brass knuckles, knocking Kaku out of consciousness.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate screamed as she shot up in bed, trying to catch her breath.

She looked around her room as the wind blew against her window, the sound frightening her.

What the hell was that?!

She grabbed Kaku's hat, hugging it against her chest as she hummed "Follow Me" to calm her nerves.

After a few moments, she fell back asleep.

-.-.-

Cutter hung up the transponder snail, a cold sweat taking over his body.

Kaku was being held in the prison ward on Mary Geoise.

For once, it seemed as if the Universe had turned the tides in his favour. There was no longer a chance of Kaku returning. The chance of him losing Kate to Kaku was gone.

The blonde man looked at his pocket watch. If Kaku had been caught the night before, then his execution would take place in exactly 3 days. In that time the World Government employees would torture, and extract every piece of information they could out of him.

Cutter quickly made his way to the King, telling him there was an urgent matter that required his attention and that he would need to leave immediately.

As soon as the King granted him permission to leave, Cutter made his way to Mary Geoise.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate milled around her kitchen, wondering when Cutter would be arriving. It was unlike him to be late...

I hope he's okay...

Kate turned around quickly, feeling a chill go down her spine. Something felt off, yet she couldn't tell what it was. The house seemed even quieter than usual.

She quickly grabbed a sweater and made her way out of the house, thinking that perhaps it was her body telling her she needed fresh air.

Kate walked around the shopping district, trying to distract herself. Her stomach dropped as she walked by the jacket store she had gone to with Kaku so long ago...

You're right! My favourite colour is orange!

She smiled sadly, finding it hard to believe how far apart they once were. Still; it was nothing compared to the distance between them now...

Kate held a hand up to the sky, trying to catch the sunlight between her fingers.

I hope you're okay wherever you are, Kaku. I hope you're watching over me...

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kaku stood against a wall, his arms dangling outwards as his hands were cuffed below his shoulder line.

He looked up wearily as he heard footsteps approaching.

Kaku squinted his eyes as he tried to make out the three figures in front of him. To his surprise he heard his cell open.

Cutter entered and motioned at the two other men. "Leave us." He stared at Kaku as the two men left, trying to keep his emotions from running wild. Cutter wasn't one to lose his composure in front of others, especially in front of other men, and especially in front of Kaku.

The General looked down at Kaku who was now sitting crumpled on the floor. He looked over Kaku's black uniform that was severely tattered. "So, you survived after all huh, long nose?" He smirked, unable to hide his delight at the situation Kaku was in.

Cutter had read Kaku's file before entering, learning where he had been the last 2 years. The guards stated Kaku was compliant, however, they were instructed to torture him anyways.

I guess he gave up.

Kaku looked up wearily, his eyes widening momentarily when he saw the General. "Cutter...How nice of you to visit me." He sat up and leaned against the wall. "How's Kate?" His voice keeping its usual cheery tone.

Cutter was taken aback slightly before remembering what he had done. "I take it you saw the paper?" He grinned; happy his plan had worked.

Kaku chuckled. "Sure did! You both looked snazzy." He smiled as he thought about how Kate looked. "She's gotten even more beautiful, hasn't she?" He continued to smile.

Kaku's calmness made Cutter feel uncomfortable, having expected a different reaction.

He stepped closer to Kaku, trying to examine how much torture he had gone through. "Do you have any idea what you're talking about, or did they beat your head in too much?"

Kaku laughed. "I'm still as sharp as a whistle! Why do you ask?"

Cutter growled. "Aren't you mad I'm with Kate?...Or maybe, she never really meant anything to you after all." He clenched his fists, reminding himself to stay calm.

Kaku shook his head. "This old heart of mine beats for her only...but I'm not mad at you."

Cutter grabbed him by the collar. "Don't fuck with me." He threw him back against the wall. None of what Kaku was saying made any sense to Cutter. "Why aren't you angry?!" He wanted to know the truth. He needed to know what it was.

Kaku sighed. "I love Kate more than anything. That's why I'm not angry."

Cutter growled, finally losing a grip on his composure as he punched Kaku's face, the sound of his jaw shattering beneath Cutter's stone fist echoing throughout the cells. "I've got half a mind to kill you right now! How could you look me in the eyes and say that after what you did to her?! How could you smile and say you love her?!" He kicked Kaku in the ribs, the echoes continuing.

Visions of Kate dancing on the bar table flashed through Cutter's mind, her crying on the floor talking about taking her own life. There was no one else to blame. It was all Kaku's fault. How could he be so cruel?

The ex shipwright closed his eyes as he leaned his head back, the pain almost unbearable. "I thought I had more time...we had a plan, but it all fell to pieces..." Blood shot out of Kaku's mouth as Cutter punched him in the stomach once again.

Cutter's whole body began to shake. It took every ounce of mental strength to hold himself from executing Kaku right then and there, his body demanding retribution. "You KNEW the mission was over in 5 years. There's no way they would have let you or anyone for that matter extend the deadline by that long! 6 months?! You're out of your damn mind!" He tried to steady his breathing.

Kaku looked up at him confused, talking through the one side of his mouth. "6 months? I thought I had a few more weeks if that...why 6 months..." Kaku's mind was going blank from fatigue and all the beatings he had taken, yet he still tried to figure out why Cutter would say such a specific amount of time.

Cutter grabbed Kaku's wrist to take his pulse. His heart skipping a beat when he realized that Kaku wasn't lying. "You didn't know, did you?" He took a step back, looking down at the younger man. "I'll let you figure it out, bastard."

Kaku's eyes were beginning to feel heavy. "6 months..." He remembered how Kate had stayed up the night before, and how she said that there was something she needed to talk to him about. He smiled, thinking about their last moments together.

What did we eat...oh right, pizza...

He continued to smile as he thought about how Kate had been so tired that she had missed lunch, and ended up eating more than half of the pizza.

How round her stomach felt when they went to bed that night-

6 months? No...No, no, no, no, no, no, no...she...

Kaku's body shivered from realization, the shock causing him to vomit. He screamed as the sour liquid made its way into his wounds. He mustered all the strength he had to continue talking. "How is Kate?! How...how is the baby?!" His mind raced, an insurmountable amount of guilt taking over his body. "I mean, the child." They would be almost 2 by now.

His mind started to scramble, trying to find a way to escape and make his way to Kate immediately.

He was a father.

Cutter pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping the blood off of his hands. "Kate is fine. Better than the sad condition you had left her in. In terms of the baby; you should be able to meet them...after your execution. If the Heavens decide to forgive you, that is." He watched Kaku's face, hoping he understood what he meant. He was usually blunt, but he didn't dare speak in such a way when it came to Kate's late child.

Kaku's eyes seemed to go white, his whole body stiffened- paralyzed as he deciphered Cutter's message.

The baby didn't make it...

And he had left her alone through it all.

Kaku began to pant, his body unable to keep up with how fast his heart was beating.

Cutter's expression remained unchanged. Whether Kaku died now or at his execution made no difference to him, but he would not be the one to do it. He owed Kate that much. "You don't have to worry about Kate anymore." He pulled the ring box from his pocket, opening it as the ring's brilliance reflected in Kaku's eyes. "I'll do what you couldn't do. I'll look after her. Forever." He closed the box shut.

Kaku took a moment before snapping out of his trance. There was nothing he could do. He took in the situation, and all the information he had learned, trying to find the silver lining. He relaxed his body, as he slouched onto the ground. "Thank you for telling me, Cutter. At least I won't try and fight off my execution anymore. If anything; I deserve far worse."

Cutter scoffed. "For once, that's something we can agree on."

Kaku looked up at the General. "Cutter, I can't be mad at you because I want Kate to be happy. When ya love someone, you'll do whatever you can to make it so. I failed, and I ain't got the means to make things right...but I'm glad you can." He tried to chuckle, instead choking on the blood dripping down his throat.

Cutter looked back one more time at Kaku, not saying a word. There was no need to prolong the conversation as he had already said all that he needed to say.

The door to the prison slammed shut behind him as he left.

Kaku couldn't hold his composure any longer as he broke into tears. He wasn't lying when he said he wasn't mad, or that he wanted Kate to be happy...

But he wished so badly it was him and not Cutter marrying Kate, spending the rest of his life with her...

Had he still been on Water 7; him and Kate would have been married by now. Maybe they would have bought a house, and maybe the baby would have survived...

He cried as the regret began to take over.

Kate...

-.-.-.-.-.-

Cutter made his way to another arm of the castle which contained another prison cell.

The call he received was initially about someone he had been hunting for several years now. They were the true reason why he bothered making the journey to Mary Geoise.

He steadied his breathing. He had been angry when he saw Kaku, but his hatred towards this person was far greater.

The General put his guard up as hysterical laughing followed by shrill screams filled the hall.

Melody stood in her cell, the skin on her wrists and ankles raw from trying to escape. She continued to scream, seeming to have finally lost her mind completely.

Spandine had also fooled Melody, telling her that he would take her and Kaku to a private island as they had agreed for telling the World Government about CP9's plan. Instead, he had her locked up immediately as soon as they met.

Cutter grit his teeth as he looked at her.

Melody went silent, analyzing the man who had walked in. She batted her bruised eyes as she smiled, a gap where her two front teeth used to be. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've m-"

Cutter growled as he kicked her in the face, her back hitting the wall. He grabbed her by the throat. "I don't care if you don't remember me, but do you remember their faces?! The 6 people you killed so absent mindedly?! The faces of the children they had to leave behind because of you?!" He punched her in the stomach, causing her to scream.

When Melody had first been recruited as a trainer, she had asked what needed to be done in order for her to become a Cipher Pol Agent. At the time; Cutter had been in charge of supervising Melody along with several other trainers.

Cutter believed in Melody's strength and combat skills, but her tracking ability and problem solving seemed lacking. This being the case; he gave her a specific task. She was to locate 3 orphans, and bring them back to the training island within a week.

Cutter had underestimated Melody's problem solving skills, for when Melody had failed to find any orphans- she simply made them.

On the last day, Melody found herself on Monogatari. She left the island with the 3 children and had left behind the mangled body parts of their parents strewn across the island. The bodies had been dragged so that their blood painted a picture of a heart, and the words "thank you" in the middle of it.

Tyson, Heart, Timmy...

Cutter felt responsible for what had happened. After the event he had asked to be demoted from a top Supervisor to an undercover Cipher Pol agent. It was the only way he could be posted on Monogatari to watch over the kids in case Melody ever returned. Although the children had any memories of their parents wiped, and seemed generally happy- Cutter would never shake the guilt.

Cutter grabbed her hand, turning it into stone before shattering it. He then proceeded to the rest of her body parts, turning them into stone before shattering them. "This is the end of the line."

Melody panted, all of her limbs now missing from her body. "WAIT! Where is Kaku-"

Cutter struck the bottom of Melody's jaw so hard that her neck had twisted in a full circle, killing her immediately.

"Don't worry. He'll be joining you soon."

Cutter closed his eyes, feeling as if the burden he had been carrying for so long had finally been lifted.

The General stopped as soon as he exited the cell, greeted by a tall man in a suit with blonde hair and beard. "What the hell do you want?"

The man laughed as he opened his arms. "So, have you finally decided to take the job?"

Cutter went to speak but then stopped himself. He walked past the man, not bothering to make eye contact.

Cutter remained on the island until the executions, needing to see them for himself.

There was a sick twisted feeling in his stomach as he watched the last breath leave Kaku's body, the sea water pills taking over the insides of the devil fruit user's body.

Even if he had wanted to save Kaku, there was no way for him to do it. His death was decided as soon as they had failed their mission. However, he didn't understand why he felt a sense of guilt.

Melody's execution was much more brutal, as she was burned at the stake for the witch she was.

What made Cutter even more sick were the entertained looks on the faces of the Celestial Dragons in attendance.

There's nothing in this world that would make me take that job.

Cutter took a deep breath, taking a break from rowing. It was over. He had finally won.

But why did his inner turmoil seem worse than before?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate shot up in bed as she heard the door open. "Cutter?!" She ran to him worriedly, noticing how exhausted he was. "Are you okay? What happened?!" She hadn't heard from him in several days. Part of her debated making her way to Monogatari to search for him.

Cutter smiled at her sadly, feeling the effects of the earlier events. What pained him most of all was the fact that he had promised he would never lie to her, but now he had a secret he'd have to keep for the rest of their lives.

Please forgive me, Kate. It's for the best.

Kate continued to question him, but Cutter remained still-unsure of how to answer. His emotions, morals, and principles all seeming to conflict with one another in that instant.

Cutter hugged Kate as he slowly knelt down to the ground, bringing Kate with him.

Kate gently placed a hand on his back. "Cutter...talk to me. Please..." Kate felt herself begin to panic. Cutter was always so collected, that seeing him distraught meant something must have been terribly wrong.

The General hugged her tighter, finding comfort in her embrace. He closed his eyes as he buried his face against her head. Cutter continued to reassure himself.

Everything. Everything he was doing was for her sake. He did the right thing. He was doing the right thing.

He would make her happy.

"Kate..."

He pulled away, holding her face in his hands. Cutter watched Kate gasp as he finally allowed himself to let his walls down, just this once as tears fell down his face.

"Marry me."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate looked at her engagement ring as she moved it onto her right hand.

The ladies doing her hair and make-up awed at her ring, exclaiming how glamorous it was.

Kate laughed shyly, trying her best not to move too much. "It's a bit much, isn't it?" She winced as one of the ladies stuck another bobby pin into her head.

The lady doing her hair laughed. "Honey, you should be thankful you're getting married to such a man! Who knew the mysterious General Cutter would settle down?!" She continued to laugh, holding several pins in her mouth.

The older lady doing her makeup patted Kate's cheeks with a sponge. "It's your big day! You should be happy!" She carefully worked on Kate's skin, ensuring everything looked perfect.

Cutter and Kate were to be wed on an island an hour to the West of Monogatari called Gredhour. Kate had left her job at Galley La, Cutter insisting she didn't need to work. The King of Monogatari had bought a Victorian Style Mansion on Gredhour for the two as a wedding gift, hoping it would convince Cutter to stay as the General of the Monogatari castle.

The makeup artist's words rang through Kate's head. Yes, she was getting married to a wonderful man, had a beautiful home, and no longer needed to worry about working.

She knew she should be happy, but she couldn't fight the sadness she was trying to repress.

Though it had been a farce; her fondest memories were when she was married to Kaku on Monogatari. He was gone now, yet the dream of them making that farce a reality still lingered within her.

She had been hesitant to marry Cutter at first, taking several weeks before she finally answered him. Kate confessed she still wasn't over Kaku, yet Cutter insisted that given time she would get over him.

"No matter how long, or what it takes- I'll make you happy. I promise."

Kate accepted, hoping he was right and that she would learn to love him in the same way she loved Kaku eventually.

I should be happy.

"Miss Kate?" The hairstylist peeked over Kate's shoulder. "Could you please take off your necklace?"

Kate placed a hand on her necklace, hesitating. She hadn't removed her necklace since she was discharged from the hospital.

It hadn't hit her until this very moment, but Kate knew.

It's time to let go.

She unclasped the necklace, looking at it one more time before handing it to the stylist.

Kate looked at her reflection, her chest now bare.

Time to move on.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The church was tall and made of white stone. It was large enough to hold over 2000 people, the pews almost full with guests, several white pillars making it look even larger. Flashes from cameras filled the church, as well as the "ooooo's" and "ahhhhh's" from guests as they awed at the large stained glass windows.

Kate had wanted a simple wedding, but Cutter's status on Monogatari constituted for a large scale event. The King himself would be attending and the wedding had to be worthy of royalty. Cutter fought against it, but gave in after Kate had gotten tired of the King's subjects constantly trying to convince them.

Iceburg had comforted Kate, insisting that big life events should be celebrated to the same caliber. Galley La was closed for the weekend, everyone from the company and their families in attendance.

Cutter stood almost frozen at the end of the aisle, his white tuxedo, black pants and black bow tie hiding the sweat dripping down his body. His nerves were starting to get the best of him, and in order to avoid showing how nervous he was- he turned off his emotions completely.

He discreetly looked at his pocket watch.

2 minutes late...what if she doesn't show up? What if she decides she doesn't want to marry me? Did I push her too hard? Was this all too stressful?

They had gotten into a fight the last time they were together. Some unauthorized journalists were trying to take pictures of Kate and Cutter while they were moving into their new home before the wedding, taking Kate by surprise. This had angered Cutter, and he ended up lashing out. He had told Kate to go inside and promise not to look out the window. The stress from wedding planning and moving had gotten to him, the journalists pushing him over the edge. He was ready to kill. Kate resisted, knowing how violent Cutter could get when he was angry. The journalists ended up escaping while Kate and Cutter were arguing.

"You need to learn how to control your temper and be kinder to other people, Cutter! Maybe I'd like you a bit more."

"What? You want me to be all chipper and shit like Kaku, don't you? You still want him! Well he's dead, and I'm not him, Kate. When will you accept that? I'm right here and it's like you don't even see me sometimes. What more do you want?!"

Those were the last words they had said to each other before they went their separate ways in preparation for the wedding.

It's been 30 minutes...

Cutter remained still, unsure of what to do. He was alone at the altar.

She isn't coming after all.

The priest went to talk to Cutter, but was interrupted by the sound of the church doors opening.

Iceburg hurriedly ran to the middle of the aisle, shooting Cutter a thumbs up.

Cutter felt as if he should get down on his knees and praise whatever deity had decided to bless him and give him another chance.

Wow.

Kate's dress had an off shoulder cut, a sweetheart neckline, and was bedazzled with thousands of crystals. The tail of her dress was also covered in intricate designs made up of crystals, and was at least 3 meters long. She had her hair in a classic bridal updo, adorned with a large diamond crown on her head. She looked like a true princess.

Cutter failed to hold his composure as his breathing began ragged. It was happening. He was going to marry Kate. He stood there, his mouth agape and his eyes watering.

The raven haired bride smiled as she walked, holding a large bouquet of white flowers.

She met Iceburg with an embrace before walking with him towards Cutter.

The General held himself back, wanting to run to Kate. He wanted to apologize for what had happened and thank her for giving him a chance.

Iceburg nodded at Cutter before handing Kate off to him.

Cutter shivered when Kate held onto his hand, unable to look away from her.

They exchanged their vows and their rings, the crowd erupting with cheers.

They had committed their lives to each other.

Forever.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate walked into their bedroom from the washroom wearing a white silk night robe.

Her hair was curled from how her hair had been styled earlier and she still had her makeup on.

The reception took place in a large dance hall, and was rented out for the next two days.

Between moving, the wedding, and greeting their thousands of guests; Cutter and Kate were exhausted. Luckily, they had managed to sneak out early without anyone noticing.

They went home instead of staying in a hotel, figuring it made the most sense since their honeymoon would start in a few days.

Cutter laid on the bed nervously, dressed in nothing but his boxers. Him and Kate hadn't had a chance to talk the whole day, this being their first time alone.

"Hey." Kate held her arm as she stood beside Cutter. "I'm sorry about what I said. I-"

Cutter stood up immediately, holding Kate's hands in his. He played with her silver wedding ring, reassuring himself that it hadn't been a dream. "I'm the one who should apologize. You're right. I need to be better. I will be better. For you."

Cutter gasped as Kate pushed him back down onto the bed. "Kate..."

She opened her robe, revealing a matching silk thong and bra. "By the way, you were wrong, General. I do see you."

They spent the night under the covers, consummating their marriage.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The next morning, Kate awoke to the sound of faint music playing. She wrapped herself in her robe as she made her way down the rounded staircase to the main guest area.

Cutter stood in front of a record player, wearing a dark blue robe.

"Good morning." She looked at him curiously. Whenever she had asked Cutter what music he liked, he'd always tell her he didn't like listening to music as it was distracting. "What's this?" She stood in front of Cutter as he wrapped his arms around her.

Cutter smiled at his wife, an excitement brewing within him. "This is my most treasured item." He pointed at the record. "It was my mother's. When she passed, she left me this record. It's not worth much, but the song is the only one I enjoy listening to." He closed his eyes as Chopin's "Nocturn Op.9 No.2" continued to play. He wasn't one to bring up the past, but seeing as they were now married; he felt he should share this intimate part of him with her. He couldn't remember the last time he had talked about his mother.

Kate listened to the song, the beauty of it making her heart flutter. "I love it."

Cutter spun Kate so she was now facing him before holding one of her hands, the other on her waist.

They smiled as they danced to the music. Cutter breathed Kate in as he held her closer.

This was the happiest he had ever been.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate looked nervously around the toy shop. It had been a few years since their wedding, and several years had passed since she had last stepped foot on Monogatari. Though nothing on the island changed, it seemed different.

Tyson was graduating from elementary school, and had asked Cutter and Kate to attend.

Mr. Omocha hobbled as he heard the bell ring, a wooden cane in his hand. "Hi there, miss! How may I-" the old man adjusted his glasses, his face beaming when he recognized her. "Kate! Is that you?! My! How long has it been?!"

Kate laughed at the old man, missing his infectious cheer. "It's so good to see you- ow!" She looked down at her leg, a little boy with blonde hair hugging it tightly.

Cutter came running towards the boy, an annoyed look on his face. "You can't go running around like that!" He picked him up, the boy laughing as he pulled at Cutter's face.

Mr. Omocha shot up, a surprised look on his face. "General Cutter?! Is...is the boy yours?"

Cutter chuckled, nodding at the old man. "Yeah, we got married. This is our son Archer."

Archer laughed holding up 3 fingers. "I'm 3!"

Kate and Cutter had taken a while to decide on baby names. It was finalized that if they had a boy he would be Archer, and if they had a girl she would be named Lily after Kate's favourite flowers.

Mr. Omocha adjusted his glasses, shocked by the news. He couldn't help but feel a hint of sadness coming from Kate despite her smile.

The 4 spent time catching up before Kate, Cutter and Archer made their way back to Cutter's house on Monogatari.

Mr. Omocha watched as they left, wondering what had happened to the long nosed man who had once worked with him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kate knelt by Archer's bedside as she stroked his head, quietly humming Chopin's "Nocturn Op.9 No.2". It had become the lullaby she'd sing to him every night. The gentle tune managing to make Kate's heart flutter every time.

She kissed her son's head as soon as he fell asleep before sneaking out of the room.

Cutter was seated at the kitchen table polishing his sword.

Kate grabbed an orange shawl from off a hanger by the door, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Cutter, I'm just going to go for a walk! I'll be back in a bit!" She blew him a kiss.

Cutter nodded before returning to cleaning his sword. Kate had seemed overly cheerful since they arrived on Monogatari. The General shook it off, assuming she was just enjoying their vacation.

A scream came from upstairs, causing Cutter to drop his sword. He ran to Archer's room, a panic taking over him. "What happened?!" Cutter checked Archer over, making sure he wasn't hurt.

Archer rubbed his eyes as he quietly sobbed. "I...I had a bad dream, papa." He rubbed his eyes.

Cutter breathed in a sigh of relief. "It was just a dream. Go back to sleep."

The boy began to cry harder. "I can't, papa. Can you please tell me a story?"

The General sat beside the boy as he rubbed his head. Kate was usually the one to put Archer to bed, and he wasn't familiar with very many stories. "Uh...how about that one with the egg...or those 3 bears I think? Or were they pigs..."

Damn, I need to ask Kate later...

Archer shook his head. "I like the one mama tells me." His sobbing had finally stopped, turning into small sniffles. "The one about the long nosed prince."

Cutter felt his heart drop.

Long nosed prince...

"Sorry kid. I don't know that one...but maybe you could tell me it so that I'll know it for next time?" Cutter had his suspicions, but wanted to make sure before jumping to conclusions.

Archer told Cutter the story of the long nosed prince. How he had saved a princess from a "bad man", and took her to a fairytale island where they lived happily ever after.

Cutter stroked Archer's head as he watched him sleep.

Still...after all this time.

Cutter asked his neighbours wife to keep an eye on Archer, saying he had some important business to take care of.

His heart raced as he walked through Monogatari, hoping he wouldn't find Kate where he thought she'd be.

Please...no..

His heart sank when he found Kate. She was sitting on the hill looking down at the house her and Kaku used to live in.

He approached her cautiously. "Kate." He swallowed as she turned to face him, tears running down her face, a white baseball cap held tightly against her chest.

She hid the cap, wiping her eyes frivolously. "Cutter...sorry, I just..." she continued to sob as she tried to control her breathing.

Cutter looked her over, noticing she was wearing the necklace she used to wear when they had first started dating. He hadn't seen her wear it since they got married.

He looked at it carefully, finally piecing together what it was when he read the word "Kaku" engraved inside of it.

Cutter fell to his knees as he stared at Kate. "After all this time...are you still not happy?" He felt his eyes begin to burn. The past few years were the happiest days of his life, and yet the person who meant the most to him didn't seem to share the same happiness.

Kate bit her lip, turning her head away from Cutter. "It's not that..." she took in a breath. "We have such a wonderful life, and you have been nothing short of amazing to me. We have a beautiful home, and I love Archer so much... it's...it's me, Cutter. There's something wrong with me." She continued to sob.

Cutter watched Kate's body shake, a sense of guilt coming over him. "Do you think you would have been happier...with him?" The words left a sour taste in his mouth. He didn't need to say his name for Kate to know who he was talking about.

Kate didn't say a word, her silence giving him her answer.

She thought she was ready to visit Monogatari, but as soon as she stepped foot onto the island; all the memories and the emotions came back, overwhelming her. She would always love Kaku.

They sat in silence for what seemed to be hours before Cutter moved himself closer to Kate.

He thought about their life together and how far they had come. He thought about their future; how they had recently been talking about having another child. He thought about Kate, and how she truly felt...

Cutter held her hand, rubbing his thumb against her wedding ring. He never would have thought he'd be able to marry Kate, let alone have a son with her. He thought about Archer, and how much he loved the boy. "Kate, a long time ago I promised that I'd do anything to make you happy. I'm sorry I've failed you." He studied her face, basking himself in her presence. It was where he always wanted to be.

Kate turned to him, a worried look on her face. "No, it's-"

Cutter kissed her tenderly, a tear escaping from the corner of his eye before he pulled away. "Thank you for the life you've given me. I intend to keep my promise. I'll make sure you're happy, Kate." He held her face as he stared at her, knowing it would be the last time they'd ever be like this. "I love you, Kate."

He looked back at her once before he began to run towards the water, ignoring Kate's screams. He smiled as he jumped, the sea taking over his body.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Cutter screamed as he shot up from Bacha's table, his body soaked in sweat. He rubbed his head, the after effects of Bacha's ability making him groan.

Bacha wiped a tear from her eye. "I take it you didn't like your future." She had seen everything that had transpired, surprised by the true nature of the cold General.

Not only did Bacha have the ability to see someone's future, but the person whose future was being shown would be able to live through and experience the next 5 years of their life in only an hour. However, the cost was 10 years of the person's life span.

Cutter smiled at the old woman, catching her off guard. "Thank you for your help, Bacha. I know what I need to do now." He got up dizzily, his head still spinning from Bacha's ability.

Bacha screamed in a panic. "HEY! Don't go changing too much! If you do, certain memories of people from the future you saw may transpire into our world and ruin whatever you're trying to do! It could turn into a real mess! Are you listening?!"

Cutter slung his bag over his shoulder as he smiled back at Bacha. "I'd better get going. It's Kate's birthday isn't it? I've left my payment on the table. Thank you again."

Bacha went to stop him, but froze as she saw the large bag of gold on her table. "What a crazy man. I wonder what he'll do..." She wished Cutter happiness, hoping Kate would find happiness too.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-